Darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven has become the first transgender player to clinch both a PDC Women’s Series event and a Challenger Tour title against male competitors, which in turn, has sparked much debate.
Hailing from the Netherlands, van Leuven's claimed the £2,500 top prize at the challenger event in Germany, where she outclassed several male PDC event to claim the title. van Leuven claimed another victory at PDC Women’s Series in Wigan this past weekend, triumphing over formidable opponents, including Fallon Sherrock, Ireland's Katie Sheldon and the world No. 1 Beau Greaves.
Sherrock, who had earlier secured victory in the day's first event, faced a formidable challenge from van Leuven in the semi-final of the second event, succumbing to a 5-3 defeat. Van Leuven progressed to a final against Sheldon, whom she beat 5-2 to claim £2,000 in prize money.
van Leuven's victory has ignited a heated debate surrounding darts' transgender policy, drawing criticism from tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who argued for restricting competition to natal females across all sports, including darts. Two of Van Leuven's Dutch compatriots also left their national team in protest following van Leuven's win on Saturday.
VICTORY FOR VAN LEUVEN! 🇳🇱
Noa-Lynn van Leuven clinches her maiden PDC Women's Series title in Wigan! 🏆
Van Leuven overcomes some late double trouble to defeat Irish youngster Katie Sheldon in the Event Two final! pic.twitter.com/fEnlFzMQk3— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 23, 2024
The policy upheld by the PDC aligns with guidelines from the Darts Regulation Authority, which in turn, adheres to recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). While the IOC emphasizes principles of "no presumption of advantage" and "inclusion," recent challenges to this stance have surfaced. A group of 26 academics contested “that the inclusion of transgender women in female sports categories cannot be reconciled with fairness”.
Under the current darts policy, transgender players must maintain a testosterone level below 10 nmo/L for a minimum of 12 months and are barred from altering their gender identity for at least four years.
Despite the ongoing debate, women's darts have witnessed a surge in competitiveness, with players like Greaves and Sherrock competing with men in open professional circuits over recent years. Yet, women-only tournaments, such as the women’s series and women’s matchplay, continue to provide platforms for female athletes.
Reflecting on her journey in an interview with The Guardian in 2023, van Leuven disclosed her struggles with gender identity, recalling her decision to transition at 16 years old. van Leuven has faced some negativity regarding her participation in women’s events but not from Greaves and Sherrock.
However, voices of dissent persist within the darts community. Deta Hedman, a prominent figure in women's darts, voiced opposition to transgender players competing in women’s world ranked events, saying: “I have thought this is wrong since day one. I have no problems with transgenders in life, I’m not close to Noa-Lynn in darts but in fairness seems a lovely person. For many months I’ve struggled with transgenders playing in the women’s world ranked events.”
PDC chief executive Matt Porter has reiterated van Leuven's adherence to darts' transgender policy, saying: “Noa-Lynn has qualified by right. Good luck to her, she’s there, deserves to be there and she is there on a level footing with every competitor in this sport. The DRA is our governing body – they follow the guidelines laid down by the IOC.”
As the darts world grapples with questions of inclusivity and fairness, van Leuven's historic victories catalyze ongoing discussions surrounding transgender participation in sports.
